Designer vouches for career in fashion industry

“We wanted to look at how to use cotton in travel, and Ellen was very excited to do that with the students,” Freeman said. “It’s going to be a very big challenge for them to think about cotton in this context.”

Aleysa Graham, a sophomore from Corinth, is designing travel wear specifically for plus-sized women. She showed her ideas to Sheppard for critique and suggestions.

“She’s in the industry and does this every day,” Graham said. “I don’t do this every day, so her feedback is valuable.”

Phyllis Bell Miller, a professor in apparels, textiles and merchandising, explained how the competition is part of the students’ academic experience.

“We have only had one other functional design project in our curriculum, in which students designed scrubs for a new Mississippi manufacturer,” she said. “We don’t have a class in functional design yet, but with finances the way they are in the world, people need multifunctioning garments.

“This is a good way for our students to see beyond the idea of just high fashion. It may be fashionable, but it can also be functional,” Miller said.

MSU Ag Communications